BMW M Racing Academy. The BMW M Motorsport customer racing support program enters its second round in 2026. The BMW M Racing Academy is training a new class of selected young drivers for the racing season in the BMW M4 GT4.
Following an intensive selection process, twelve candidates were chosen from a large pool of applicants last year to compete for a place in the BMW M Racing Academy’s “Class of 2026”. After a series of exercises, including driving and racing simulator challenges as well as mental and fitness tests conducted by experts from Formula Medicine, a jury of experts and mentors selected three drivers for the “Class of 2026”. They now face a demanding training program to prepare them for the racing season in the cockpit of the BMW M4 GT4.
The twelve participants in the preliminary selection process for a place in the BMW M Racing Academy “Class of 2026”.
COMPETITIVE SELECTION.
Following the successful completion of the “Class of 2025,” which consisted of Berkay Besler (TUR), Nerea Martí (ESP), Matt Million (USA), and Niels Tröger (GER), a panel of experts and BMW M works drivers from BMW M Motorsport set about assessing the candidates for the second round of the BMW M Racing Academy. Twelve young talents who want to drive the BMW M4 GT4 in the upcoming customer racing season were shortlisted for the “Class of 2026”. The group of young talents was selected from a large number of applicants and came together in Munich in October 2025 to undergo further demanding tests, at the end of which the best three participants were selected for the “Class of 2026”.
To this end, candidates completed practical driving assessments in BMW M models under the guidance of the BMW M Driving Experience and an esports challenge on the racing simulator. The programme also featured mental and fitness evaluations by Formula Medicine specialists, plus driver interviews and media training to prepare participants for public relations duties. The expert jury, which included the Academy’s three mentors — BMW M works drivers Jens Klingmann (GER), Max Hesse (GER) and Robby Foley (USA) — selected three promising talents.
THE NEW “CLASS OF 2026”.
The three drivers selected for the “Class of 2026” are Josh Green (USA), Ryder Quinn (AUS), and Thomas Rackl (GER).
At 17, Germany’s Thomas “Thomie” Rackl is the youngest member of the BMW M Racing Academy’s trio of young drivers and already has two active seasons with the ME Motorsport Team in ADAC GT4 Germany to his name.
Ryder Quinn is the first Australian participant in the BMW M Racing Academy training program. The 20-year-old has just completed a successful season in the cockpit of the BMW M4 GT4 in GT4 Australia and has been racing since 2021, when he made his debut in Formula Ford.
Josh Green, 23, can look back with pride on his first full and very successful GT4 season behind the wheel of the BMW M4 GT4 EVO in 2025. As part of the Random Vandals Racing team in GT4 America, Green won the Pro-Am category title alongside his teammate Sam Craven (USA) with five wins and nine podium finishes.
All three young drivers look forward to their training program in the “Class of 2026”.
THE NEW “CLASS OF 2026”.
The three drivers selected for the “Class of 2026” are Josh Green (USA), Ryder Quinn (AUS), and Thomas Rackl (GER).
At 17, Germany’s Thomas “Thomie” Rackl is the youngest member of the BMW M Racing Academy’s trio of young drivers and already has two active seasons with the ME Motorsport Team in ADAC GT4 Germany to his name.
Ryder Quinn is the first Australian participant in the BMW M Racing Academy training program. The 20-year-old has just completed a successful season in the cockpit of the BMW M4 GT4 in GT4 Australia and has been racing since 2021, when he made his debut in Formula Ford.
Josh Green, 23, can look back with pride on his first full and very successful GT4 season behind the wheel of the BMW M4 GT4 EVO in 2025. As part of the Random Vandals Racing team in GT4 America, Green won the Pro-Am category title alongside his teammate Sam Craven (USA) with five wins and nine podium finishes.
All three young drivers look forward to their training program in the “Class of 2026”.
[1] Performance data of petrol engines apply to vehicles using RON 98 fuel. Fuel consumption data apply to vehicles using reference fuels in accordance with EU Regulation 715/2007. Unleaded RON 91 and higher with a maximum ethanol content of 10% (E10) may also be used. BMW recommends RON 95 fuel. For high-performance automobiles, BMW recommends RON 98 fuel.
Range depends on various factors, in particular: individual driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, heating/air conditioning, pre-conditioning.
For plug-in hybrid: Electric drive depending on battery charging level.
For plug-in hybrid: At temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius, the fully electric drive system is only available after a few kilometres of driving, once the battery has heated to operational temperature.
For plug-in hybrid: Composed of combustion engine drive and electric drive. Electric drive depending on battery charging level.
For models with Boost function: Temporary uprating <10 seconds in excess of specified nominal value.
The models illustrated include optional equipment. Due to regular software updates, screen designs in the communication may differ from the actual screen design in your car.
All vehicles, equipment, combination possibilities and varieties shown here are examples and can differ in your country. In no way do they constitute a binding offer by the BMW M GmbH. Visit your local BMW website or see your authorised BMW M Retailer for accurate details on the offers in your country.
The stated values were determined in accordance with the prescribed WLTP measurement method. The actual values depend on various factors, e.g. load, driving style, route, weather, auxiliary users (including air conditioning), tires, battery state of health. For ranges, data determined as per WLTP takes into account any optional equipment (available on the German market in this case). For more information about NEDC and WLTP measuring procedures visit www.bmw.com/wltp